In last Sunday’s Perspective, Megan McArdle blamed Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the difficult position the Republican Party finds itself in, not that Trump has sewn up the GOP nomination. (Jewel Samad, AFP )

The four men who are to blame for the collapse of the GOP are not the four listed by Megan McArdle. It goes back first to Rush Limbaugh, who learned how to cash in on making old white guys angry. Then it was Mitch McConnell and his U.S. Congress cronies who swore from day one of the Obama administration to do all they could to obstruct the president. Then it was Antonin Scalia, who led the Supreme Court decision that allows tons of campaign cash to bribe our elected officials. Finally, it was Ted Cruz and the Tea Party that devolved into Donald Trump and his arrogant madness.

The GOP has suffered a self-inflicted wound. It deserves to die because they were mean and stupid.

Mark Parsons, Berthoud

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Megan McArdle’s attempt to blame John Kasich, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and Donald Trump for the “GOP apocalypse” is remarkably devoid of historical perspective. The foundation for the current state of affairs was actually laid by Ronald Reagan.

Reagan managed to convince white working-class males to become “Reagan Democrats” because, at that time, the U.S. economy still allowed the working class to have a middle-class life style. No longer; the working class in America has been on a downward trajectory for decades.

Into an environment of declining living standards — and a Washington system that does little for the average American — steps the ultimate outsider, Donald Trump. He stands on both the left and the right depending on the issue and is unconstrained by party dogma (or anything else). His populist message has delivered the nomination. It may well do the same for the presidency in November — for exactly the same reasons.

Guy Wroble, Denver

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

I loved Dottie Lamm’s essay on grandparenting. The things us oldsters do for the grandkids is wildly out of step with the rest of our experiences. As a retired contracting officer for Uncle Sam, I was used to making important decisions that committed the government. As a grandfather with time on my hands, I was free to drive over a dozen miles to the school where the tykes were enrolled, wait outside with many other obviously retired fogies for school dismissal, chauffeur the kids to a McDonald’s for a treat, and then deliver them to their home before making the long drive back to mine. Oh how the mighty have fallen, right? And yet I loved every trip, enjoyed asking them about school, imparted wisdom that they wisely ignored, and left knowing they were safely at home and no longer starving.

It was indeed the happiest time.

Harry Puncec, Lakewood

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

Letter-writer Maribeth Gruenloh’s experience with the speed traps in Sheridan is typical of the “welcome” this mean-spirited community gives to as many of its visitors as possible — and has been for decades. I used to work in Sheridan and was so glad to get out of there. Daily speed traps are the norm and it seems half the town’s budget goes to patrol cars. (They sure don’t spend it on street repairs.) Our customers were constantly being ticketed when entering this police state to spend money in our business — so we got out. Their embattled stretch of Federal Boulevard has seen very little commercial development while neighboring communities are growing. Sadly, Sheridan doesn’t “serve and protect” anything other than their patrol budget.

William Orth, Parker

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s remarks about respect and dignity that we should show to our fellow LGBT citizens should also apply to showing respect to the majority of fellow citizens who expect the privacy of a restroom according to their birth sex. Also, trying to compare this dispute over restroom use with the discrimination leading to the Civil Rights Act is way over the top.

What is this country coming to? It is certainly not what those of us who put our lives on the line to maintain freedom expected. I know we will never all think the same way, but there must be respect for certain established traditions.

Bob Beabout, Aurora

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

Water flows through a series of retention ponds built to contain and filter out heavy metals and chemicals from the Gold King mine chemical accident, in the spillway about 1/4 mile downstream from the mine, outside Silverton, on Aug. 14, 2015. (Brennan Linsley, Associated Press file)

Gwen Lachelt’s column concludes that “the mining companies responsible for the pollution” should pay for the mine cleanups in La Plata County. What her column confuses is who “the mining companies” are. The Gold King Mine was last operated in 1922, so the company operating the mine last should be responsible, no? The problem is the operating company no longer exists.

It is unfair and unwise to put this burden on future mining efforts. Do we make other presently operating industries pay for damages to the environment that were done by other manufacturers a century ago? No — we make enforceable regulations so it doesn’t happen in the future.

The sensible thing for the San Juan mining districts is to build a partnership with state government and private industry to create modern new mines that are built with 2016 environmental standard, not 1922 standards, and at the same time clean up the lingering environmental hazards created a century ago.

Peter Drobeck, Golden

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

Earlier this month, we were enthralled by the music of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra as conducted by music director Andrew Litton. The audience jumped to its feet to demonstrate their appreciation of works by Rachmaninoff and American composer Aaron Copland. We also learned from harpist Courtney Henshey Bress that Litton’s CD featuring works by Copland has received favorable reviews around the world.

There were many gray heads in the audience, evidence that discernment and appreciation increase with age and participation. Let’s get more young listeners inside the Denver Center for the Performing Arts so they can begin the process of learning to appreciate the ultimate modality of the audible arts.

Phillip K. Tompkins, Denver

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

This is one of many bedrooms in the newly renovated living room of a VRBO owned by John Krauklis in Capitol Hill in Denver. Krauklis uses this house as a vacation rental throughout the year. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

Last Sunday’s story on short-term rentals again reported the fantasy-based arguments of investors who operate motels out of homes in residential neighborhoods in violation of Denver’s zoning code. They claim that requirements to allow only the home’s primary resident to qualify for short-term rental licenses will “drive us underground.” That is exactly where they are now — underground, violating the zoning code and avoiding paying lodging and occupational taxes.

Denver has a severe housing shortage and needs all available housing for long-term residents, whether owners or tenants. Allowing unrestricted short-term rentals in homes changes the nature of residential zoning by allowing totally commercial uses on properties in residential zones.

Everyone who values their residential neighborhood needs to tell their City Council representative that renting for less than 30 days, if allowed at all, must be limited to the primary resident of the property.
Charlotte Winzenburg, Denver

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

People raise their hands to be potential delegates for their precinct in a overflowing classroom during the caucus at East High school in Denver on March 1. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

I have lived in five states in my life. Four had presidential primaries and one — Colorado — has a caucus. Since I just moved into Colorado, I attended this year’s caucus to see what it’s like. This is my comparison:

A caucus took me two hours (6:30-8:30 p.m.) to attend, versus 15 minutes to vote at a primary.

There is no privacy in voting at a caucus; there is at a primary.

Enthusiasm counts. The Bernie Sanders supporters wore Bernie shirts, brought bumper stickers to hand out, and were generally boisterous. The Hillary Clinton people were generally subdued and did not bring bumper stickers because they were told not to.

There is no format to really change opinions after the first vote. There were 10 minutes allocated to each side. The Bernie people reiterated that Bernie was enthusiastic; the Hillary people reiterated that Hillary was experienced. These generalities convinced no one.

My reaction to attending a caucus? I will not waste my time again. If the party wants control of the outcome, they shouldn’t bother with a caucus.

Odille Hansen, Broomfield

This letter was published in the May 15 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

I was disappointed to learn that politics trumped doing something good for the state when the bill to make the hospital provider fee an enterprise was killed this week on a 3-2 vote along party lines. The bill seemed to offer tremendous benefits to the state, mainly in the form of future funding for transportation infrastructure and education — and it didn’t involve any taxes. Seemed like a common-sense bill to support. But common sense has no say when it comes to political fighting. Maybe if we had real and altruistic leaders in this state, perhaps we could make progress to protect Colorado long term.

The influx of new residents has been taking a toll on transportation, increased traffic and adding more students to our schools. Do any of our elected officials look at these bills with a long-term lens?

Bernard Slack, Littleton

This letter was published in the May 14 edition.

For all the efforts and money expended on the hospital provider fee enterprise legislation, the state Senate Republican majority of the finance committee (Sens. Tim Neville, Owen Hill and Chris Holbert) voted along party lines to defeat it. To me, this illustrated that the long arm of Washington partisanship carried the day again.

In the meantime, Democratic Sen. Andy Kerr commented that over 320 organizations supported House Bill 1450.

This raises the question: for whom do the Colorado legislators work? This legislation may be a good reminder this fall as voters head to the polls to let their voices be heard.

Alvin Rivera, Pueblo

This letter was published in the May 14 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

During this campaign season, candidates and voters alike are clamoring that democracy is not being served, our election system is rigged, and the will of the people is not being represented.

(Thinkstock)

Consider that in Colorado we elect 22 district attorneys every four years. These public officials serve as the chief prosecutors of our counties. For some reason, though, in 12 of these districts there is only a single candidate running for the job.

In four districts, more than one Democrat is running, so there are primary contests to be decided in June. This includes the three-way Democratic race in Denver. But, as things stand right now, a Republican will square off against a Democrat in just six of the 22 districts in November.

While 46 other states also elect their DAs, Coloradans might ask whether it would make more sense to have these offices appointed instead, like they are in Alaska, Connecticut and New Jersey. Would appointed DAs be less political and better public servants than our elected ones? Would law enforcement become more respectable and ethical?

Jeffery Moser, Aurora

This letter was published in the May 14 edition.

Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.